This invention relates to dyeing synthetic fiber and synthetic fiber blend textiles constructed in the form of a garment while avoiding setting permanent creases and permanent wrinkles in the garment during the dyeing process.
There is an existing need to provide garments constructed of synthetic fabrics and/or synthetic fiber blended fabrics in a range of colors free from permanent wrinkles, garment distortion and garment size variations. This invention provides an aqueous-based dyeing process that uniformly dyes garments made of synthetic fiber and/or synthetic fiber blended fabric without allowing the dyeing process to set permanent creases and permanent wrinkles in the garment.
Various prior proposals have been made for dyeing synthetic fabrics at elevated temperatures, that is at or above the boiling point. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,260,389 and 4,289,496 to Lister describe controlled foam aqueous dyeing systems for various fibers and fabrics including garments made wholly of 100% polyester. Dyeing temperatures used are typically in the 80 to 100xc2x0 C. range or as high as 140xc2x0 C. The need to uniformly dye garments made of synthetic fiber and/or blended fiber fabric without allowing the dyeing process to set permanent creases and permanent wrinkles in the garment is not addressed.
Various non-aqueous high pressure dyeing procedures are also known in the art, for example Pittman et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,354 describes a non-aqueous system for dyeing fabrics of various fibers, including goods containing polyester, with disperse dye. Temperatures in the range of 110-165xc2x0 C. are mentioned.
Pensa et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,571 describes a non-aqueous process for dyeing polyester fabrics or garments such as 100% polyester textured woven fabric shaped articles or garments at temperatures of 180-185xc2x0 C. None of these documents indicate attention given to preventing permanent creases and wrinkles in the fabric or garment being treated during the dyeing operation nor are specific procedures used to select fabrics and/or garment constructions suited to preventing permanent creases and wrinkles in the fabric or garment during the dyeing process.
The present invention provides an aqueous-based dyeing process that uniformly dyes garments made of synthetic fiber and/or blended fiber fabric without allowing the dyeing process to set permanent creases and permanent wrinkles in the garment. Fabric selection and garment construction are taken into account when selecting candidate fabrics for the process. Dyeing is conducted in an aqueous system at elevated temperatures which is unusual for synthetic fiber-containing fabrics. The high temperature dyeing process typically consists of a series of numerous rotations or cycles in one or more dye baths. The inventive process has the effect of opening the garments through each rotation of the dye cycle so as to prevent the garment and fabric from being retained in the same relative configuration during its rotation through the dye bath.
High temperature dyeing of synthetic fiber and blended fiber fabrics in aqueous systems is not commonly used on a commercial scale. The process of this invention is carried out using dyeing temperatures generally in the range of 220 to 260xc2x0 F., desirably 220xc2x0 F. plus or minus 2xc2x0 F. for 100% nylon fabrics and 260xc2x0 F. plus or minus 2xc2x0 F. degrees for polyester and polyester blend fabrics.
Fabrics particularly suited to the invention include synthetics such as polyester and nylon as well as synthetic blends such as polyester-wool, polyester-nylon, polyester-rayon, polyester-cotton as well as blends based on other regenerated cellulose rayons.
Selection of the fabric and its processing/preparation prior to dyeing is an important part of dyeing synthetics at high temperature (260xc2x0 F./127xc2x0 C.) in an aqueous system. The fabric must have a controllable, predictable shrinkage during the dye process to prevent permanent wrinkles, garment distortion and garment sizing problems. Fabric construction, picks and ends, type of yarn and type of weave are all important.